One of the Boys

Chapter 15

“Your butt’s out too far.”

“My butt is not out too far.”

“It is though.”

“No!  It’s not!  My butt is in the perfect position!”  I look at Zac defiantly, trying to push my butt in as discretely as possible.  I know it’s out too far, but I’ve been balancing on the sand for too long and I just want him to think I’m ready.  People are already staring.

“Well now it is.  But that’s just because you moved it in just then.  I saw you.”

I give him a cheeky smile.  “Okay.  So does that mean I’m ready to go into the water?”

“Nup.”

“But it’s been two lessons!”

“Would you be happy if I told you your balance is right and now we can move onto arm movements?”

“That depends.  Do I still have to stand on this board on dry land looking like an idiot?”

“You can get off the board, but you’re still on dry land.”

“It’s an improvement.”  I jump off the board as fast as I can.  “Teach me the arm movements.”  I thrust my arms out to the side like a pro surfer on TV.

Zac just laughs.  “Oh man.  This is gonna take a while.”

 I lower my arms and step closer to him, getting in his face.  “You did not just say that.”

He puts his hands on my waist and shoves me backwards, his fingers brushing the bare skin of my stomach, making me forget what we’re doing for a moment.  “The sooner you get to work the sooner you’ll be in the water.”

I stumble backwards and keep stumbling until I realise how stupid I look.  “Yes coach.” I say, once I’m standing still again, mock saluting him.

“Okay, so when you get into the water you’re gonna start paddling.”  He starts moving his arms in half circles like a demented bird.  It looks so stupid I can’t help but laugh at him. 

“Got it.” I say between giggles.

“Okay.  Then show me.”  He grins mischievously.

“Nooo way.  I’m not joining you in looking like a drowning fish.”

 “Come on Al.  Just like this.”  He grabs my arms and moves them in half circles alongside his, making us look like two very demented birds.

I keep my arms like jelly, just letting him guide them however he wants.  “People are staring.” I say, giving a little nudge of my head at a group of people our age on a picnic mat to my right.

“Well that’s because they’re checking you out.” He winks at me.

“More like they’re checking you out.”  The group’s predominantly made up of girls.

“No way.  Take a look at the guy in the blue speedos.  He’s definitely pretending not to watch you behind those sunglasses.”

I turn around to look for the guy he’s talking about, and I catch the guy immediately turning away.  He’s got a good body, but the funny thing is that he’s wearing super tight speedos, and only those speedos, and the sunglasses of course.  I turn back to Zac and burst out laughing.  “What about that girl in the orange bikini?  She looks like she’s about to faint from your hotness.”

Zac turns to look at the girl, not even bothering to be discrete, and I swear she actually faints.  “Man.  Her skin is almost as orange as her bikini.”  We both burst out laughing.  “Okay, so have you got the paddling movement yet?” he asks once our laughter has dialled down.